Chapter 203
Seeking Happiness
There were movements inside the room, but one couldnât hear clearly through the door. Gu Xihe was nervously waiting outside the door. It happened that he acted in a fit of pique and felt that since old madam hid something from him that she didnât want him to know, then he felt that it was below his dignity to know!
This was a loggerhead like when a child wanted to eat candy but had not been given any. So, he would throw an act in a fit of pique and say that he didnât like candy.
At this moment, Lin shi happened to stop by to give old madam a report of the matters. Seeing that he paced back and forth in the yard like ants walking on a hot pot, she couldnât help but ask, "Why are you doing here and not sitting inside the room or looking for someone to play with?"
When Gu Xihe saw that it was her, he didnât say anything and only casted a glance at the door.
Only now did Lin shi saw that the door was closed and wondered, "Who is inside?"
She knew that old madam was biased towards her son. Even when someone came to discuss about important matters, she had never let him retreat. She couldnât contain her curiosity and didnât wait for Gu Xihe to answer. She came closer and put her ear against the door...
"Now, Xiran is no longer considered a member of our Gu household. Xihe is still young. You happened to have reached the age to marry and have children. Didnât you say that you donât want to marry those families of low status? Then, the marriage with Zhang household could be considered well-matched. I donât have much longer to live. Listen to my advice and agree to this. After you had married, Gu householdâs big business need the two of you (GXR&ZHF) to maintain. By then, even if I die and meet your grandfather and father in the after world, I can explain to them then."
When Lin shi listened till here, she took a deep breath and felt that her head and teeth hurt!
It turned out that old madam had this in mind. She wanted to use Zhang householdâs power to support little third who didnât have a great status, in taking over Gu householdâs business!
No wonder she made insinuations two days ago, saying that Gu Xiran may not come back. Jingtian City had undergone this catastrophe. Those rival businesses couldnât even take care of themselves, so, they wouldnât force Gu business too tightly. Shouldnât old madam cancel the marriage with Zhang household first? If she put it in a gentler way perhaps Zhang household would agree, lest they (G) delay for too long and Zhang household would come cause a raucous and harm their feelings of being relatives. When old madam didnât have an explanation, she was very impatient and let her (L) to not meddle in this matter and only bother about the funeral of master!
Thinking till here, Lin shiâs teeth hurt from hate. However, she couldnât rush inside and question old madam why she (OM) usually was biased towards Xihe, but casted him to the back of her mind at the critical moment! She could only suppress the anger in her heart and continue to eavesdrop!
Gu Xiren was obviously still hesitating. Old madam began to guide patiently and systematically again, "I will tell you once more. Itâs impossible for you to be with little Xuan. Even if I turned a blind eye to it and donât meddle, would you dare to tell little Xuan that you like her and that it was not the liking between siblings but the love between men and women? How would she see you when she got to know that the big brother who cared and cherished her and who let her have incomparable trust in, in fact had such a filthy thought? How would she treat you then? Is it treating you full of disgust and awkwardness and hide from you or talk about everything with you like before? She..."
"Donât speak anymore!"
Lin shi was so shocked and stunned by what she had heard. Gu Xiren was also on the verge of collapsing by old madamâs series of questions.
"Donât talk anymore! I have never thought to have anything with little Xuan! I only want to stay by her side to let her have someone to talk to when she is bored, angry, sad and happy! I only want to take care of her and let her live better! Just this and nothing more!"
"That is the right thing to do!" Old madam sneered. "Only when nothing happens to Gu householdâs business will she be able to live a life in luxury and live carefree without worries! After you have married, you still can stay at her side and take care of her. in her eyes, you will still be the good brother and there is also a sister-in-law to love her. Otherwise, how would Gu household have so much money to support an idle person like her? She wouldâve long been married!"
If the first half of old madamâs speech was to persuade, the later half was an undisguised threat! Donât know what Gu Xiren was thinking about. Anyway, he didnât spoke again, but the emotions of Lin shi who was eavesdropping outside were in a perilous state.
It was actually like this!
The truth as to why Gu Xiren and Gu Xuan often got so along with each other turned out to be like this!
She originally thought that they were close because the both of them came from the illegitimate line and they sympathized with each other because both were not loved. Moreover, birds of feather flock together. The offspring of the illegitimate line should be in a group, stay obediently and shouldnât become a thorn in anotherâs eyes. She didnât expect that these two people were filthier and nastier than she had thought!
Thinking till here, she couldnât help but cover her nose and mouth with a handkerchief in disgust. She got angrier.
Old madam actually knew about this and still could tolerate them for so long! She also thought about letting Gu Xiren take over the family business! She truly became muddle-headed because of her age!
No! She couldnât let this plan of old madam succeed! Otherwise, what will happen to her and Xihe when old madam closes her eyes and goes away with ease?! From then on, she would need to stay under little thirdâs roof and before taking every step, she had to watch little thirdâs face! Where in this world would an illegitimate child succeed the family business while the legitimate child suffers the roll of eyes from others!
Lin shiâs mind was in a mess. She didnât hear what was said inside the room carefully. Until when Gu Xiren came out as if he had lost his soul and almost bumped onto her did she regain her senses. Fortunately, she had covered her mouth with a handkerchief, she was able to suppress the exclamation that happened because she was caught by surprise and didnât disturb old madam inside the room.
Gu Xiren was also startled when he saw Lin shi. In his eyes appeared the fleeting feeling of shame and anger. However, he didnât even bother with Gu Da these past few days, how would he be in the mood to bother with this wife of Gu Da? His expression immediately turned cold, flung his sleeve, humphed once and walked to outside.
Gu Xihe who had been staying inside the yard was already brooding with anger. When he saw that he (GXR) was so rude to his mother, he rolled his eyes at him (GXR) and muttered with the same disdain, "What behavior!"
This time Lin shi didnât follow him in enumerating Gu Xirenâs shortcoming in etiquettes. Instead, she forgot about the spurning Gu Xihe and chased after Gu Xiren. When she was outside of the yard, she shouted, "Xiren, wait!"
Gu Xiren impatiently stopped and sneered, "What is madamâs command?"
Lin shi turned her head and saw that her personal maid was still at the door and Gu Xihe was also at that side looking over curiously. She felt that this was not a place to talk. She turned and said, "Follow me, I have something to say to you."
"Sorry, I have no time!" Gu Xiren didnât have the mood and rejected her straightforwardly.
Lin shi sneered in her heart, but her face still showed the expression of an elder. She stood firmly and said, "I have something to talk to you with about little Xuan. Do you want to hear it or not?"
Gu Xiren was stunned. The shame in his eyes got worse, but the two words "little Xuan" bound him incomparably. He thought, endured and hesitated for a while. In the end, he still went indignantly with Lin shi.
Gu Xihe who had seen this scene from inside the yard but didnât hear anything, was amazed! He felt that the appearance of this world deviated from his original perception. He couldnât understand what had happened. Why was everyone acting abnormally today? Even Lin shi who had always ignored Gu Xiren and disdained to talk with him, she took the initiative to talk with Gu Xiren today!
He couldnât figure it out. It was really a headache!
Looking at their leaving backs, Gu Xihe sighed dejectedly...
It would be so great if second big brother was willing to come back!